Dry erase boards are known and typically include a board or substrate that is coated with an enamel, film, ultraviolet cured liquid, liquid varnish, or porcelain finish. Specially designed markers are used to write on the substrate. While the ink of the marker dries on the substrate, the ink does not bond to the substrate surface and the writing can be easily removed with a soft eraser, cloth, finger, etc.
However, improved rewritability performance of other articles with writing surfaces is desired. A persistent challenge with such articles which has not yet been satisfactorily met is that the writing surfaces do not accept writing from a variety of writing instruments, do not erase cleanly and easily, and tend to degrade when ink is erased. A continuing need exists to provide such articles with rewritable surfaces thereon that exhibit improved rewritability.
Other disadvantages of traditional dry erase boards are the inability to easily move writing on the board to another location on the board and the inability to easily apply graphics to or change graphics on the substrate. For example, some dry erase boards are provided with horizontal lines for writing purposes. However a user may not want lines on the board at all times.
Additionally, the use of erasable boards for presentations is generally known. Such boards include chalkboards, such as blackboards and greenboards, and whiteboards. For ease in presenting and storing data, individuals have come to rely on several boards instead of just one board fastened to a wall.
The prior art has presented several options for a user of erasable boards. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,898 to Facemire, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, a plurality of display boards is suspended for sliding along a track. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,890 to Behlen, Jr., which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, a plurality of display panels or signs are mountable within tracks formed in parallel upstanding side posts. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,693 to Webster, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, the structure includes details of roller assemblies used for movably supporting a sign or panel along a track. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,331 to Owen, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, a board base apparatus provided both storage and display of board panels using slots or tracks.
Each of these prior art storage and display units includes tracks in order to store the erasable boards. However, inserting and removing the boards from the units can be difficult because each board must fit into a narrow track in order to properly hold the board. Additionally, the removable boards can only be used when tracks are present. Thus, the erasable boards are not transportable to locations without the tracks. Further, these units are difficult to work with and are expensive.
In many facilities, providing writing and demonstration tools in the walls of existing rooms may not be feasible due to cost or structural constraints. Thus in order to provide such tools, free-standing whiteboards may be used. These tools may take up space and/or be cumbersome to use and then store.